Chap9

***DISCLAIMER!***

I do not own anything! Every title and name and place used in this book is owned and credited to Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games Trilogy.

The only things I own are the plots used in this story. Again, all titles used in this story are Suzanne Collins'. Thank you.

I snack on the things Peeta bought me at the store. I jump up off the couch. I take Peetas' hand and say, "You know I told you there would be a surprise for you when you got home. I almost forgot… come with me." I lead him upstairs. He sits on the bed. I walk into the bathroom and shut the door. I start the water for a shower. I come back out in nothing but my bra and panties. His eyes widen. I pull of his shirt and lead him into the bathroom. "You get to take a shower with me."

I kiss him through the entire shower and then he rubs my back. It feels good; the combination of strong hands and warm water is very relaxing. For the next thirty minutes, everything is perfect. Until the water goes cold, and I begin to freeze to death. I wrap myself into Peeta. We get out and he grabs me an outfit.

"How about this?" he asks. It's a frilly blue top the color of his eyes and I pair of strait leg blue jeans, accompanied by a pair of black heels that Effie bought me.

I sigh. "If that's what you like, then okay."

I pull on the jeans, followed by the top. I take the heels in my hands and we walk downstairs hand in hand.

By now its noon, one hour left until my appointment. We eat a quick lunch and are out the door by twelve thirty. It only takes about fifteen minutes to get to Everdeen memorial, but we didn't want to be late.

We arrive with fifteen minutes to spare. They give me a stack of paperwork to fill out. Peeta takes it from me and immediately starts asking me questions.

"Date of birth?" he asks. "I know the answer to this one. 5/8/1996"

I smile.

He proceeds on with an enormous list of questions until a nurse comes over and says, "Mr. and Mrs. Mellark?" When we nod she says, "Come with me."

We follow her to an exam room. She takes three tubes of blood from my arm. They will be sent off for testing, or so she tells me. They ask me about my last period and when I took the pregnancy test. Then they tell me that most likely the baby will be born in March. They can't be more specific, because I'm not far enough along. Great. I think. They can't even be sure my miracle is coming.

When we get to the car, I start to cry.

Peeta looks at me intently. "Katniss, why are you crying? I thought you'd be happy after today."

I look at him. "They can't even be sure I'll get to keep my baby!" I wail. Then I sniffle. "What if he doesn't make it? What if he…" but I can't bring myself to complete the thought.

He smiles at me, and I become angry. Then he starts, "Katniss, I am one hundred and ten percent sure that this baby is coming. I'm sure of it. He wants to be here."

I smile at my stomach. "Of course you do, pretty baby. Of course you want to be here! How could you not? You have the best daddy in the entire world, you know that?" Peeta puts his hand on my stomach and rubs circles in it.

"The best mommy in the world, too." He looks so happy. "You're mommy saved my life, little baby. She is the most amazing woman in the world. I love her so much. I'm sure you will too. She risked everything to save me, when I wasn't worth saving. But she did; she's my everything. I couldn't live without her."

I look fiercely at him. "You are worth being saved a million times. I couldn't live without you ever." Then I address my bump. "Your daddy is the most amazing man I've ever met. He is kind, caring, considerate, sexy…" I'm looking at Peeta now. "And the only man I've ever loved."

He kisses me softly, but it doesn't last. All at once his hands are all over me, pulling me in with an intensity I've felt quite a few times in our marriage. "Come on," I say. Even though I don't want to pull away, I don't want to have sex in the hospital parking lot. "Let's go home."

He kisses me longingly one last time, and then puts his hands on the wheel. You can tell it's a difficult task for him. It's quite difficult for me to keep my hands off of him, but I prefer my bed than a small front seat of a Tahoe. So instead of staying on the passenger side, I lift up the middle and scoot over to snuggle into him. He smells so good; it's truly painful for me to have to keep my hands to myself.

He kisses the top of my forehead. "You are everything I will ever need, Katniss Mellark. You and our baby will always be my top priority. I love you."

I smile, but feel tears pricking at my eyes. "I love you too handsome. I will never let you go."

Then cautiously I say this. "Peeta, do you remember what you said to me once. During the Quell?"

I'm a little nervous to approach this subject until I see him smile. "I remember lots of things, but which would you be referring to?"

I smile. "'I just want to freeze this moment; right here, right now, and stay in it forever.' Do you remember saying that to me?" He nods. "That's how I feel every day of my life with you. That I just want to keep all of these moments and stay in them forever."

He smiles at me. "I feel the exact same way."

"Did you know that I carry that pearl with me every day, no matter where I go?" I ask curiously.

He gives me a quirky smile. "No, actually, I didn't know that. But not today, you aren't."

I give him a stare. "Yes I am. I always put it in my pocket before I leave the house…" I check my pockets frantically. "Oh my God, Peeta, it's gone. It's missing!" I start to cry, but quickly he says, "Katniss don't cry. It's okay I have it right here." I look and see him pull a necklace out of his pocket. Attached to the bottom is my pearl.

I stare in utter amazement. "Peeta, it's beautiful!"

He smiles in awe. "I thought you might like it."

"But what did I do to get a present?" I ask.

He frowns. "There doesn't have to be a reason. I did it because I love you."

I smile. "I love you more. You are the best husband in the world, ever. This baby is going to grow up to have the best daddy in the world, like I said."

As we pull into the driveway, he quickly shuts off the engine and runs around to open my door. I can't even step out of the car before he picks me up and twirls me around in his arms. He holds me up to his chest and kisses my lips frantically, like his life depended on my touch. I pull his face into my hands and smile. He kicks my door shut and carries me into the house. We don't make it upstairs though, only to the couch. And then my hands have pulled his shirt off. Suddenly, he pulls away and kisses my collar bone. "This is for you." And he slips the necklace around my neck.

"I love you Peeta. I don't think you'll ever know how much you mean to me." I say.

He laughs. "It's still so obvious." When I give him a puzzled look, he continues on. "That you still have no idea, the effect you have on people."

I laugh, and we continue on into our beautiful evening.